Database Info

[Q] Recovering data after root?

I'm about to root my new NS and every guide I see reminds me that the internal storage ("SD card") will be wiped - I'm cool with that. But since I'm unrooted I can't use Titanium yet to back up my apps.
So my question is - once I root, what's the best way to get everything back without manually doing everything all over again?

fchipm said:
I'm about to root my new NS and every guide I see reminds me that the internal storage ("SD card") will be wiped - I'm cool with that. But since I'm unrooted I can't use Titanium yet to back up my apps.
So my question is - once I root, what's the best way to get everything back without manually doing everything all over again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see a lot of people say appbrain lets them easily reinstall all their apps after a wipe. Apps, but not app data.
Not sure how that works, i haven't tried it myself. edit: little google search revealed this on how to do it:
Without root, there's no way you're going to save your data that's on the internal storage space.

distortedloop said:
I see a lot of people say appbrain lets them easily reinstall all their apps after a wipe. Apps, but not app data.
Not sure how that works, i haven't tried it myself. edit: little google search revealed this on how to do it:
Without root, there's no way you're going to save your data that's on the internal storage space.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I just read some more about it - apparently it's just not at all possible yet, or ever.
Oh well better get to rooting before I have TOO much to lose.

fchipm said:
Yeah I just read some more about it - apparently it's just not at all possible yet, or ever.
Oh well better get to rooting before I have TOO much to lose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, that's why I'm an early rooter on all my phones.
App developer's should be encouraged (or allowed by Google) to put their app data into someplace that the user can back up.
I wonder if the reason app data is put in a root-only read place of the device by default is part of the sand-boxing security.

Best backup before root
The only thing I really had to hunt for was to backup Angry Birds. Thankfully there's an app called Angry Cheaters that is both free and gives you save files for Angry Birds.
I just went through this process yesterday. Google actually saves most/all of your apps and will reinstall when you reenter you gmail address. It also restored my wifi passwords (in addition to obvious things like email/contacts). Just be careful if you have to wipe multiple times while exploring root that you let this process do its thing, it forgot a few apps that way. Thankfully appbrain had moved all of my previous apps to another list.
The only other thing I couldn't back up was some auto mileage data, so I just wrote that into notepad and called it a day.
Is there anything else you are specifically trying to get? I was really only focused on Angry Birds.

Hmmm here is a question/thought
If unlocking your bootloader whipes everything clean, would it be a possibility to run data harvesting apps on the device to get w.e data you lost back?
both on the "sd" and /data/data

I use an app called "rsync backup" ... it can generate a DSS key to install on your server of choice, and tell it to back up /mnt/sdcard/ ... the only thing it won't access on the USB Storage area is a folder called ".android_secure" ... but everything else copies just fine.
I routinely sync my phone with this app to my workstation at the office, and a system at home.

haha.. this is why i unlocked the bootloader/rooted my s right away, i didnt have any data to back up. makes it painless

simms22 said:
haha.. this is why i unlocked the bootloader/rooted my s right away, i didnt have any data to back up. makes it painless
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kinda wish i did this, but oh well.
Still curious if my idea is even possible..anyone have any input?

Gmail widget fix

I had the same problem as many with the missing gmail widget. Here is how I fixed it:
Apps / Settings / Privacy / Factory data reset
PLEASE NOTE this makes your tablet as if it was brand new outta box so please backup any data you don't wanna lose. Everything took me about 10 minutes to get setup again and the gmail widget is now listed under widgets and working once again. Market synced all my installed apps from market back automatically.

nfodiz said:
I had the same problem as many with the missing gmail widget. Here is how I fixed it:
Apps / Settings / Privacy / Factory data reset
PLEASE NOTE this makes your tablet as if it was brand new outta box so please backup any data you don't wanna lose. Everything took me about 10 minutes to get setup again and the gmail widget is now listed under widgets and working once again. Market synced all my installed apps from market back automatically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you!

thats unacceptable for those of us who actually use this device for more than just the programs included with the stock rom.

nfodiz said:
I had the same problem as many with the missing gmail widget. Here is how I fixed it:
Apps / Settings / Privacy / Factory data reset
PLEASE NOTE this makes your tablet as if it was brand new outta box so please backup any data you don't wanna lose. Everything took me about 10 minutes to get setup again and the gmail widget is now listed under widgets and working once again. Market synced all my installed apps from market back automatically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does that action delete/ format your files in the TF? How about the files on my SD card?
Rio

It wipes everything off the TF and what your left with is a brand new 3.1 installation. It didn't touch my microsd cards data. I know this is not an ideal solution for the power users out there but it may help out some until Asus issues a fix.

Deletes data off the internal storage, but not the sd card.

klau1 said:
thats unacceptable for those of us who actually use this device for more than just the programs included with the stock rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's called backing up your data and reinstalling your apps. It's a very common thing to do.
download app list backup from the market, that will give you market links for all of your installed apps, and you can download mybackup pro to backup some data.
and BTW, to everyone doing this, backup your internal memory becuase it will be erased as well to my understanding.
going to go ahead and do this when i get home tonight.

Fyi by default Google backs up your app data. So it should automatically redownload the apps you had and have all your settings. Unless of course you pirated them, at which point you're not allowed to complain

The backup/sync option is meant to only restore ones you purchased via the market, not free ones. Although honestly, it's restored a few of the free ones (not all) I've installed too, the last time I reset, so I'm not sure what to think any more.

stuntdouble said:
The backup/sync option is meant to only restore ones you purchased via the market, not free ones. Although honestly, it's restored a few of the free ones (not all) I've installed too, the last time I reset, so I'm not sure what to think any more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me it restores my free ones as well (I have 2 paid apps and 50 free ones, it restores them all).

stuntdouble said:
The backup/sync option is meant to only restore ones you purchased via the market, not free ones. Although honestly, it's restored a few of the free ones (not all) I've installed too, the last time I reset, so I'm not sure what to think any more.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it restores all free ones for me

magicpork said:
it restores all free ones for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
same here - all of my apps were reinstalled once I did rebooted. The vast majority of them were free.

magicpork said:
it restores all free ones for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note that it does not restore app data. You need root for that and Titanium Backup and if you have root there are other ways to get the widget back. Any save states (ie. completed levels in Angry Birds etc..) will be lost. Any settings and such as well. I'm not saying don't do it, but just getting that out there for those that don't know. 'Restore' is really the wrong word for this, it's just re-installing so you don't have to.

Sounds like they've changed their policy then if it's restoring all apps now. That's certainly welcome news.

Prof-KOS said:
Note that it does not restore app data. You need root for that and Titanium Backup and if you have root there are other ways to get the widget back. Any save states (ie. completed levels in Angry Birds etc..) will be lost. Any settings and such as well. I'm not saying don't do it, but just getting that out there for those that don't know. 'Restore' is really the wrong word for this, it's just re-installing so you don't have to.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly why I said factory reset is an unacceptable solution.
Titanium backup or backup pro isn't a solution because it requires root to backup app data, but if you have root you could force install Gmail widget directly without factory reseting in the first place

It is an issue to factory restore things, because there is no way to back up app data without root.
For example, playing games on your tablet, there is no way to recover that saved file unless there is root
Thats why I believe, factory resetting is the last resort resolution and really isn't a fix..
And they always make rooting so difficult, but obtaining app data to restore later or just to backup is the best part of root
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

[Q] Best cleaning app

Hey ladies and gentlemen.
Can someone tell me what is the best cleaning app?
And i mean advanced cleaning, not something like clean master and such.
SDmaid is great, but i think it doesn't clean everything.
Many thanks in advance advance and sorry if its wrong section.
By the way i have Xperia Neo running ICS stock rom rooted.

What do you want to clean? You can use the recovery mode to wipe cache and dalvik cache, advanced enough?
Or titanium backup to clear apps data and stuff.
Hope it helps .

I don't know if I have used any cleaning apps specifically. I find that normally just deleting unused applications is generally enough. Everything is sandboxes and fairly self contained. Also never underestimate the size of your image lib. Always good to backup your phone and archive off pictures at the end of each year.

So called cleaner apps are all a joke. I would avoid them. Just do some minor cleaning yourself every now and then.

Cleaner apps do the contradictory action don't download them...
If u want free RAM then use
Greenify [root]
To cleanup the cache use recovery mode..

CCleaner. I got I for free from amazon appstore. It helps with cleaning,with a few clicks you can delete unneeded garbage.

Avoid cleaning apps
I strictly recommends you not to use cleaning apps they eat up more battery and RAM.:silly:

shadowcore said:
CCleaner. I got I for free from amazon appstore. It helps with cleaning,with a few clicks you can delete unneeded garbage.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This. CCleaner is awesome. Check it out.

Khoga said:
This. CCleaner is awesome. Check it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those cleaning apps dont do anything other then place ads on your screen. All effects are placebo designed to make noobs think they are doing something great.

zelendel said:
Those cleaning apps dont do anything other then place ads on your screen. All effects are placebo designed to make noobs think they are doing something great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, CCleaner has no ads, at least the version I have. Suffice to say, its a useful tool. Less menial work to do, especially when deleting many things at once.

shadowcore said:
Actually, CCleaner has no ads, at least the version I have. Suffice to say, its a useful tool. Less menial work to do, especially when deleting many things at once.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you even looked at what it really does. These types of apps were put to the test years ago. They were found to be mostly pointless as they mainly cleaned up DB files what we're just redone on the next reboot.
And now with Android 5.0 they are even more pointless.

360Antivirus geek. Maybe.

I agree most clean up apps don't do much for you. I do like SD maid as it allows me to toggle whether or not certain apps run at start up, duplicate finder can also be useful at times.

Also use SD Maid to check its file's recommendations out occasionally. Interesting to see and optional to remove...

DuxAS92 said:
SDmaid is great, but i think it doesn't clean everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's tough to be both thorough and still on the safe side. If you send me a mail regarding what you think was missed i can look into it.
techacker007 said:
What do you want to clean? You can use the recovery mode to wipe cache and dalvik cache, advanced enough?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dalvik-Cache, the cache partition and app cache is not the same. AFAIK no recovery targets app caches except when doing a factory reset.
IgnitusBoyone said:
I don't know if I have used any cleaning apps specifically. I find that normally just deleting unused applications is generally enough. Everything is sandboxes and fairly self contained. Also never underestimate the size of your image lib. Always good to backup your phone and archive off pictures at the end of each year.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sandbox is pretty leaky though. Especially the sdcard is basically a huge free 4 all with developers thinking they are the most important app on the phone and stuffing files everywhere. Then there are also the cases where apps think their data should stick around because you "might" reinstall, who specifically make sure the data is not just deleted on uninstall.
If we put root into the mix, it's all fair game .
zelendel said:
So called cleaner apps are all a joke. I would avoid them. Just do some minor cleaning yourself every now and then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Most" cleaner apps are a joke, but don't put them all in the same bucket . But i do i have to admit that the majority are a joke if not even missleading or straight scummy.
zelendel said:
Have you even looked at what it really does. These types of apps were put to the test years ago. They were found to be mostly pointless as they mainly cleaned up DB files what we're just redone on the next reboot.
And now with Android 5.0 they are even more pointless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All the "RAM cleaning stuff" has been pointless since 2.2/2.3. Not sure what you mean that Lollipop has changed further, while external sdcard restrictions have been forced since 3.0 (in reality 4.4) it doesn't completely solve most issues, especially on custom ROMs or rooted devices where the restrictions are often deactivated as they are pretty inconvinient.
I'm not sure what DB files you are talking about, care to elaborate?
galaxys said:
Also use SD Maid to check its file's recommendations out occasionally. Interesting to see and optional to remove...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting to see indeed, and pretty much how i think it should be used, but people want comfort and rather have the apps make the decision for them. Can't blame em though. Android has lots of room for improvement in that deparment, not easy to solve though. If they change the whole sdcard access system they could track file access of each app and use that data for security and uninstall purposes but i guess that would be difficult to do with the differences between each handsets storage solution. Also brings some performance penalties, and storage access already is one huge bottleneck on Android.

Thank you all for your answers.
I will just keep using SDmaid its best till now.
I dont want Clean master and DuSpeedBooster craps, thanks but no thanks.
Also CCleaner is pretty simple, i think sdmaid is doing better job.
I dont know how to use recovery mode, i never made it.
I am on ICS stock rom rooted, maybe its not even possible for me to go into recovery mode.
Yeah lolipop is great but my phone wont get it and i cant get new phone so Lolipop is nowhere near me.
Cheers

Clean Master

Uninstalled apps leaving behind files

So here's my dilemma. I noticed apps I've uninstalled are leaving are leaving behind files. I noticed them by looking in titanium backup and seeing a huge list of the apps I've uninstalled and are no longer present on my phone shown below.
I found the location of these files in data/user/0/
When I delete these files/folders they all disappear on TB. But after a few days they all show back up. I doubt they take up much if any space, but it creates a huge list in TB. Wiping does nothing. They always come back. Any ideas? Thanks
PS. I did not have this problem on previous phones.

Hedied4me said:
So here's my dilemma. I noticed apps I've uninstalled are leaving are leaving behind files. I noticed them by looking in titanium backup and seeing a huge list of the apps I've uninstalled and are no longer present on my phone shown below.
I found the location of these files in data/user/0/
When I delete these files/folders they all disappear on TB. But after a few days they all show back up. I doubt they take up much if any space, but it creates a huge list in TB. Wiping does nothing. They always come back. Any ideas? Thanks
PS. I did not have this problem on previous phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anybody
Sent from my MotoG3 using XDA Labs

Hedied4me said:
Anybody
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May be you should try SD maid it's made for the same purpose, it's best cleaner app available on google play without cleaner word in it lol

libert19 said:
May be you should try SD maid it's made for the same purpose, it's best cleaner app available on google play without cleaner word in it lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thankfully I don't have this problem anymore. Thanks for the suggestion

backup before unlocking bootloader

Is there a way to back up everything before a wipe that restores well? The ones i've tried miss system settings and all app settings have to be reset. Titanium Backup was awesome but requires root., but something like that is what I'm after

tomplatz said:
Is there a way to back up everything before a wipe that restores well? The ones i've tried miss system settings and all app settings have to be reset. Titanium Backup was awesome but requires root., but something like that is what I'm after
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a biggest issue Google hasn't provided a solution for. You can't backup an android phone unless you root... [emoji1418]
Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Any decent apps anyone has found? I know TB level backup not possible

System settings and all app settings backup is hard. Usually, Samsung Kies, mobile data manager software, etc just help us back up data like contacts, text messages, photos, videos, music, apps, etc. Of course, there is no need to root Samsung phone before using them.

tomplatz said:
Is there a way to back up everything before a wipe that restores well? The ones i've tried miss system settings and all app settings have to be reset. Titanium Backup was awesome but requires root., but something like that is what I'm after
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keep in mind once you unlock bootloader then KNOX will be permantly disabled and apps like samsung pay, samsung pass, encryption and some more will no longer work after this and even if you re-lock bootloader the KNOX will still be unavailable since it's so called safety thing in chip has ben cut so it becomes permanently hardware disabled.
So think before doing it, if you plan to use samsung pay and pass and such later on then avoid unlocking the bootloader.
Also warranty will be voided too.
Skickat från min SM-N986B via Tapatalk

tomplatz said:
Is there a way to back up everything before a wipe that restores well? The ones i've tried miss system settings and all app settings have to be reset. Titanium Backup was awesome but requires root., but something like that is what I'm after
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The best you can do is use the SD card as your data drive. All mission critical data goes on it.
Therefore no PC or internet connection is needed for a full restore. No wasted time transferring data from the PC or cloud.
All critical data, photos, vids, music, documents, settings backups for apks that let you, contacts and copies of all loaded apks and updates.
I use ApkExport to make copies of all my apks and system updates so after a reload I don't need Playstore and know exactly what to load, fast.
Get at least a .5 tb card so all the data used by the phone can easily fit plus 100 gb headroom.
I pretty much hit the ground running and a reload is 99% complete in about 5 hours with no loss of critical data.
Not copying settings for some apps and especially system settings is a better plan as any bad settings don't get carbon copied. Manual set up also keeps you in aware of what does what. Plus you will find and learn new tricks like this.
I reload about every 6 months to take full advantage of the new optimizations I incorporated since the last reload. Invariably you play with trash apps trying to find the good ones and the poorly written ones can leave a mess behind. It's simply impossible to weed out all the trash and subtle misconfigurations that happen over time.
A reload takes out the trash.
Each reload should get you a couple steps closer to device perfection.
Once you have a fast, stable platform be very cautious of any firmware or OS updates as it only takes one to wreck everything. Many times an "upgrade" turns into an ugly downgrade.
Many app updates are useless or wreck the the app as well.
No reason to fix something that ain't broke... once optimized leave it be.
Find something else to play with.

Just install Samsung Smart switch on your phone. And back up to the SD CARD.
You'll still need to setup individual apps but you will keep system settings.

pcriz said:
Just install Samsung Smart switch on your phone. And back up to the SD CARD.
You'll still need to setup individual apps but you will keep system settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you.
I forgot about this app.
Last time I used it transfering from a S4 to the 10+ it was a terror. However it should do much better on the same model/OS.
16 gb took 10 minutes to backup to a fast card plus you can see and edit its saved files.
The icon layout will be lost if it saves the theme/icon pack I will wuv it to death...
It should save some time... if not I'll reset again:laugh:

The legendary Tom Platz. Now that's a blast from my past lol

Limeybastard said:
The legendary Tom Platz. Now that's a blast from my past lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have big legs too. Seemed to fit.

tomplatz said:
I have big legs too. Seemed to fit.
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Click to collapse
I'll take your word for it. No need for pics. ?